Will Crist run for governor in 2014 — as a Democrat?

Published: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 6:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 6:11 p.m.

TALLAHASSEE — One of Barack Obama's most visible supporters in Florida was a former Republican governor.

Charlie Crist played a larger role as the president's political cheerleader in the state than most Democratic leaders. Crist endorsed Obama, delivered a high-profile speech at the Democratic National Convention and appeared with him at Florida campaign rallies.

"This guy's got our back," Crist told some 23,000 Democrats at Obama's final Florida rally in Broward County on the Sunday before the election.

Many believe Crist, who left the GOP in 2010 to run as an independent in his failed U.S. Senate race, can use his ardent alliance with the newly re-elected president to rekindle a once-promising political career that crashed in his Senate campaign.

Most suggest Crist is positioning himself to run for governor again in 2014 against Gov. Rick Scott — this time, as a Democrat.

Although Crist has demurred from that speculation, he has amped up his criticism of the Republican governor, slamming the governor's oversight of Florida's tumultuous voting process — which left the state as the last in the nation to declare a winner in the presidential race. On Saturday, Florida finally proclaimed Obama the winner.

Crist likened Scott's decision not to extend the early voting hours after long lines formed in Miami-Dade County last weekend to "voter suppression."

It came after Scott's support of the Republican Legislature's adoption of a law that shortened the early voting period from 14 days to eight.

"That's unconscionable," Crist told the Huffington Post. "I think it's just the wrong thing to do. And the right thing to do would be to sign an executive order to make sure this doesn't happen and you expand the hours."

In contrast, in 2008, Crist, who was then actively supporting John McCain, extended the early voting period after Democrats asked him to do it, although it drew criticism from some Republicans who saw it as an effort to help Obama in his first election.

Former state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, said Crist would be welcomed if he decides to join the Democrats. But he said that doesn't necessarily translate into becoming the Democrats' gubernatorial nominee in 2014.

"I embrace him helping Obama, and I embrace him coming to our party," Gelber said. "Whether he is a viable candidate for governor is obviously an open question at this time. He would probably be viable because he is simply well-known and a lot of people like him."

The Obama campaign welcomed Crist's endorsement, which came just a day before the scheduled opening of the Republican National Convention in Tampa in late August. And the campaign used Crist as a spokesman to appeal to independent and swing voters.

"I think it shines a spotlight on how extreme this Republican Party is," David Plouffe, one of Obama's top advisers, said shortly before Crist gave his convention speech.

But Florida Republicans say Crist will have trouble escaping his past as a loyal member of the GOP, at times calling himself a "Ronald Reagan Republican" and taking strong stands against abortion, gun control and gay marriage.

"He's got a record that we're happy to point out," Florida Republican Chairman Lenny Curry said shortly after Crist announced his endorsement of Obama.

Further underscoring this is that Crist's popularity — which once soared into the polling stratosphere shortly after his election as governor in 2006 — has tumbled.

A late September survey from Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm based in North Carolina, showed Crist leading Scott 48-43 percent in a potential matchup. But it also showed "Crist is not an overwhelmingly popular figure in Florida anymore."

Some 43 percent of voters had a negative opinion of him, versus 39 percent who were favorable. Not surprisingly the animosity was highest from the Republicans; 69 percent viewed him unfavorably, compared with 19 percent with favorable opinions.

Nonetheless, Crist and any other potential Democratic contenders for governor remain competitive because Scott's own popularity numbers remain upside down, with Scott's favorability ratings staying below 40 percent in most public surveys.

If Crist enters the governor's race as a Democrat, he faces many challenges.

The field could be crowded. Former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, who narrowly lost to Scott in 2010, would likely become the front-runner if she opts for another race. State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, is already a declared candidate.

And a host of other Democratic contenders are on the sidelines, including a number of mayors such as Orlando's Buddy Dyer, Fort Lauderdale's Jack Seiler and former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. Gelber, who ran for attorney general in 2010, is also a possibility.

But strategists say if Crist can get the nomination, he would have broad appeal in a general election. He would be able to reach independents, moderate Republicans and other swing voters.

He has a solid record of support, as a Republican, from African-American voters, a key constituency for the Democrats. In the 2006 governor's race, Crist earned nearly one of every five votes from black Floridians — a group that voted more than 9-to-1 for Obama this year.

Crist further bolstered that support early in his term as governor by agreeing to immediately restore the rights of nonviolent felons who had completed their sentences — a move that benefited many potential African-American voters. But Scott and the state Cabinet rescinded that action in 2011, imposing new restrictions and requiring those felons to win approval through the cumbersome Clemency Board process.

Crist has a reputation as a strong consumer advocate, fighting to lower property insurance rates for Floridians. He vetoed a bill — strongly opposed by Florida's teachers — that eliminated tenure for newly hired public school teachers and tied their salaries to students' performance on tests.

"He actually was pretty moderate," Gelber said. "I liked him as a Republican."

Crist's willingness to work with both parties was perhaps best illustrated by his decision to extend early voting in 2008.

Gelber, then the leader of the state House Democrats, put in a personal plea to Crist. He didn't write him a letter or send a message through aides. He picked up the phone.

"I actually called because I thought he would entertain it," Gelber said.

<p>TALLAHASSEE — One of Barack Obama's most visible supporters in Florida was a former Republican governor.</p><p>Charlie Crist played a larger role as the president's political cheerleader in the state than most Democratic leaders. Crist endorsed Obama, delivered a high-profile speech at the Democratic National Convention and appeared with him at Florida campaign rallies.</p><p>"This guy's got our back," Crist told some 23,000 Democrats at Obama's final Florida rally in Broward County on the Sunday before the election.</p><p>Many believe Crist, who left the GOP in 2010 to run as an independent in his failed U.S. Senate race, can use his ardent alliance with the newly re-elected president to rekindle a once-promising political career that crashed in his Senate campaign.</p><p>Most suggest Crist is positioning himself to run for governor again in 2014 against Gov. Rick Scott — this time, as a Democrat.</p><p>Although Crist has demurred from that speculation, he has amped up his criticism of the Republican governor, slamming the governor's oversight of Florida's tumultuous voting process — which left the state as the last in the nation to declare a winner in the presidential race. On Saturday, Florida finally proclaimed Obama the winner.</p><p>Crist likened Scott's decision not to extend the early voting hours after long lines formed in Miami-Dade County last weekend to "voter suppression."</p><p>It came after Scott's support of the Republican Legislature's adoption of a law that shortened the early voting period from 14 days to eight.</p><p>"That's unconscionable," Crist told the Huffington Post. "I think it's just the wrong thing to do. And the right thing to do would be to sign an executive order to make sure this doesn't happen and you expand the hours."</p><p>In contrast, in 2008, Crist, who was then actively supporting John McCain, extended the early voting period after Democrats asked him to do it, although it drew criticism from some Republicans who saw it as an effort to help Obama in his first election.</p><p>Former state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, said Crist would be welcomed if he decides to join the Democrats. But he said that doesn't necessarily translate into becoming the Democrats' gubernatorial nominee in 2014.</p><p>"I embrace him helping Obama, and I embrace him coming to our party," Gelber said. "Whether he is a viable candidate for governor is obviously an open question at this time. He would probably be viable because he is simply well-known and a lot of people like him."</p><p>The Obama campaign welcomed Crist's endorsement, which came just a day before the scheduled opening of the Republican National Convention in Tampa in late August. And the campaign used Crist as a spokesman to appeal to independent and swing voters.</p><p>"I think it shines a spotlight on how extreme this Republican Party is," David Plouffe, one of Obama's top advisers, said shortly before Crist gave his convention speech.</p><p>But Florida Republicans say Crist will have trouble escaping his past as a loyal member of the GOP, at times calling himself a "Ronald Reagan Republican" and taking strong stands against abortion, gun control and gay marriage.</p><p>"He's got a record that we're happy to point out," Florida Republican Chairman Lenny Curry said shortly after Crist announced his endorsement of Obama.</p><p>Further underscoring this is that Crist's popularity — which once soared into the polling stratosphere shortly after his election as governor in 2006 — has tumbled.</p><p>A late September survey from Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm based in North Carolina, showed Crist leading Scott 48-43 percent in a potential matchup. But it also showed "Crist is not an overwhelmingly popular figure in Florida anymore."</p><p>Some 43 percent of voters had a negative opinion of him, versus 39 percent who were favorable. Not surprisingly the animosity was highest from the Republicans; 69 percent viewed him unfavorably, compared with 19 percent with favorable opinions.</p><p>Nonetheless, Crist and any other potential Democratic contenders for governor remain competitive because Scott's own popularity numbers remain upside down, with Scott's favorability ratings staying below 40 percent in most public surveys.</p><p>If Crist enters the governor's race as a Democrat, he faces many challenges.</p><p>The field could be crowded. Former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, who narrowly lost to Scott in 2010, would likely become the front-runner if she opts for another race. State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, is already a declared candidate.</p><p>And a host of other Democratic contenders are on the sidelines, including a number of mayors such as Orlando's Buddy Dyer, Fort Lauderdale's Jack Seiler and former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. Gelber, who ran for attorney general in 2010, is also a possibility.</p><p>But strategists say if Crist can get the nomination, he would have broad appeal in a general election. He would be able to reach independents, moderate Republicans and other swing voters.</p><p>He has a solid record of support, as a Republican, from African-American voters, a key constituency for the Democrats. In the 2006 governor's race, Crist earned nearly one of every five votes from black Floridians — a group that voted more than 9-to-1 for Obama this year.</p><p>Crist further bolstered that support early in his term as governor by agreeing to immediately restore the rights of nonviolent felons who had completed their sentences — a move that benefited many potential African-American voters. But Scott and the state Cabinet rescinded that action in 2011, imposing new restrictions and requiring those felons to win approval through the cumbersome Clemency Board process.</p><p>Crist has a reputation as a strong consumer advocate, fighting to lower property insurance rates for Floridians. He vetoed a bill — strongly opposed by Florida's teachers — that eliminated tenure for newly hired public school teachers and tied their salaries to students' performance on tests.</p><p>"He actually was pretty moderate," Gelber said. "I liked him as a Republican."</p><p>Crist's willingness to work with both parties was perhaps best illustrated by his decision to extend early voting in 2008.</p><p>Gelber, then the leader of the state House Democrats, put in a personal plea to Crist. He didn't write him a letter or send a message through aides. He picked up the phone.</p><p>"I actually called because I thought he would entertain it," Gelber said.</p><p>This year, Gelber also asked Scott to extend the early voting period.</p><p>He didn't call. He sent a letter. Gelber's request was rejected.</p>